Balian of Ibelin

Balian of Ibelin (1143-1193) was a Jerusalemite noble.

Biography
Son of Barisan of Ibelin, Balian of Ibelin was a vassal of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1177 he was present at the Battle of Montgisard, leading the vanguard against the strongest point of the Muslim line. However, he lost Ascalon to Ayyubid Sultan Saladin and later captured in 1179 when Saladin captured the Crusader fortress of Jacob’s Ford; his ransom was paid the next year by Byzantine Emperor Manuel I. In 1187 he took part in the Battle of Hattin along with Joscelin III of Edessa, and he narrowly avoided capture. He fled to Tyre, the last Crusader stronghold, and he then took charge of the defense of Jerusalem. After a short siege that he could not withstand, Balian of Ibelin surrendered the city to Saladin’s army. He was released soon after and continued fighting, taking charge of Richard the Lionheart’s rearguard at the Battle of Jaffa in 1192. He defeated Saladin for the last time, dying soon after.